The increased in interest rate on PF, announced after 211th meeting of the Central Board of Trustees (CBT) of the
Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), was lower than the employees union demand for 8.9 percent.

With a view to align small saving interest rates with broadbased banking rates, the finance ministry said the 0.25
per cent higher interest rate that post office savings of 1, 2 and 3 year term deposits, KVP as well as 5-year Recurring Deposits earned over similar tenure Government securities will be withdrawn from 1 April.

While the short deposits currently fetch 8.4 percent interest, KVP doubles the investment in 8 years and four
months (100 months).

The ministry also announced that henceforth the rates on small savings schemes would be revised every quarter.

Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana, Senior Citizen Savings Scheme and the MIS, which currently command 0.75, 1 and 0.25 percent higher interest rate than G-sec, were not untouched as they are linked to social security goals.

Similarly, there will be no change in interest rate on long-term instruments like 5-year term deposit and similar
tenure National Saving Certificates as well as Public Provident Fund (PPF).

"The 25 basis points spread that 1 year, 2 year and 3 year term deposits, KVPs and 5 year Recurring Deposits have
over comparable tenure Government securities, shall stand removed with effect from April 1, 2016, to make them loser in interest rates to the similar instruments of the banking sector," a finance ministry statement said.

The move, it added, would help the economy move to "a lower overall interest rate regime eventually and thereby help all, particularly low-income and salaried classes."

The government has also permitted pre-mature closure of PPF accounts "in genuine cases", like cases of serious ailment, higher education of children.

"This shall be permitted with a penalty of 1 per cent reduction in interest payable on the whole deposit and only
for the accounts having completed five years from the date of opening," it said.

The interest rate for every quarter would be decided on the 15th of the preceding month. Giving example, the ministry said the rate for April-June quarter would be set on 15 March and would be based on G-Sec rates that prevailed in the three months of December, January and February.

"The compounding of interest, which is biannual in the case of 10 year National Saving Certificate, 5 year National
Saving Certificate and KVP, shall be done on an annual basis from April 1," the statement added.

The finance ministry said that small saving interest rates are perceived to limit the banking sector's ability to lower deposit rates in response to the monetary policy of the Reserve Bank of India.

"In the context of easing the transmission of the lower interest rates in the economy, the government also has to take a comprehensive view on the social goals of certain National Small Savings Schemes (NSS)," it added.

The NSS, regulated by the finance ministry, offers complete security of investment combined with high attractive
returns.

These schemes also act as instruments of financial inclusion especially in the geographically inaccessible areas
due to their implementation primarily through the post offices.